Tear strip for rolled sheet material

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a tear strip for rolled sheet material in which the cutting strip has its ends bent to fit around the edges of the roll, said strip having a greater curvature than the roll to concentrate finger pressure along the strip edges while cutting.

@ties atet [1 1 35599857 {72] Inventor William J. Van Dyck [56] References Cited Malina". UNITED STATES PATENTS $52;- 8 3 2 1968 1,915,736 6/1933 Hurlbut .3 n 225/56X Patented Feb. 2,197] 2,560,394 7/1951 Slezak 225/65X [73] Assignee Badger Paper Mills, inc. Primary ExaminerAndrew R. .Iuhasz Peshtigo, Wis. Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden a corporation of Wisconsin Attorney-Wheeler, Wheeler, House and Clemency [54] Q RgLLED SHEET MATERHAL ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to a tear strip for rolled alms rawmg sheet material in which the cutting strip has its ends bent to fit [52] U.S. CL. 225/56 around the edges of the roll, said strip having a greater curva- [51 326i 3/02 ture than the roll to concentrate finger pressure along the strip [50] Field of Search .i 225/56, 65 edges while cutting.

TEAR STRIP FOR ROLLED SHEET MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art paper cutters of the type herein disclosed are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 1,726,3l2 and l,82l,947.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The tear strip of the present invention has the same general form as those in the prior patents above mentioned, but improves thereon by reason of its specific shape and structural features. The cutting strip or barof the present invention has a greater curvature than the roll, thus to concentrate finger pressure along the strip edges and clamp these edges firmly against the roll during the cutting or tearing operation. This produces a more definitive tear line with less chance for the line to wander away from the edge of the strip. The ends of the strip, however, have less curvature than the roll. This configuration minimizes binding at the edges of the roll when the roll is full and facilitates unwinding the roll when finger pressure is released.

The corners of the strip where they are bent around the edge of the roll are notched or beveled, and the end wall of the strip is somewhat narrower than the width of the strip, thus providing an oblique tear edge against which the tear line can be easily started. The narrower end wall also minimizes binding when the roll is full.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a tear strip embodying the invention as applied to a roll of waxed paper and in the course of tearing a length of paper from the roll.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cutting strip or bar.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly in axial cross section, through a roll provided with a tear strip of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the tear strip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The tear strip 10 consists of an elongated strip or bar of metal having its ends bent at II to form a transverse or end wall 12 and an in-turned flange 13. The flange I3 is hooked about the end 14 of a roll 15 of sheet material such as waxed paper wound upon a cardboard core I6.

Near its ends, the strip 10 is flat at 17, but throughout the greater portion of its length the strip is curved as shown at 20, with a greater curvature than the periphery of the roll 15. Accordingly, when the user applies finger or thumb pressure to the curved part of the strip, as shown in FIG. I, the edges 21 of the curved portion 20 of the bar I0 clamp tightly against or dig slightly into the top layer of sheet material on the roll 15. This provides a definitive tear line along the edge 21 of the strip 10 when a length 22 of sheet material is torn off of the roll, as shown in FIG. I.

The comers of the bend 11 between the strip 10 and its end wall 12 are desirably notched or beveled at 23 so that the strip is slightly narrower at its extreme end than throughout its length. This provides an oblique starting edge with good reaction against the sheet 22 when the tear is commenced. Moreover, the narrowing of the end wall 12 by reason of the notches 23 reduces binding effects of the paper roll against the stri end walls 12 when the roll is full.

e flat end portions 17 which have no curvature at all also reduce binding of the roll against the strip when the roll is full. The relief formed at the ends of the strip facilitates unwinding of the sheet material. Accordingly, while the greater portion of the length of the strip 10 has a curvature greater than the curvature of the roll, the ends of the strip have less curvature than the curvature of the roll.

I claim:

I. A tear strip for rolled sheet material and comprising an elongated strip having ends bent to fit around the edge of the roll, the greater portion of the length of said strip having a greater curvature than the roll to concentrate finger or thumb pressure along the strip edges while cutting, the ends of the strip near said bends having less curvature than the roll.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which comers of the strip at said bends are narrower than the strip and beveled to provide oblique tear starting edges.

3. The invention of claim 1 in which the bent ends of the strip are narrower than the strip. 

1. A tear strip for rolled sheet material and comprising an elongated strip having ends bent to fit around the edge of the roll, the greater portion of the length of said strip having a greater curvature than the roll to concentrate finger or thumb pressure along the strip edges while cutting, the ends of the strip near said bends having less curvature than the roll.
 2. The invention of claim 1 in which corners of the strip at said bends are narrower than the strip and beveled to provide oblique tear starting edges.
 3. The invention of claim 1 in which the bent ends of the strip are narrower than the strip. 